Different types of electronic instruments are used to perform various measurements and data collection, including oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, network analyzers, chemical analyzers and voltmeters, for example. Due to the distinct nature of the data collected and processed by these instruments, each type has a specific visual interface for displaying measurement or analytic results. The visual interface may be as simple as a numeric readout for a voltmeter to as complex as spectrum traces for a spectrum analyzer.
Test systems may receive data from measurement instruments in order to store, assemble, process and/or display the data. For example, raw data may be retrieved over a data network and displayed at a remote work station, such as a personal computer (PC) or laptop. When test systems receive and display the data, they may attempt to mimic the visual interface corresponding to the type of instrument used to collect the data, in order to assist in understanding and analysis of the data. However, such displays typically are not as rich or complete as the visual interface on the instruments themselves, and sometimes provide only static pages, when a web interface is available. Alternatively, the test systems may attempt to insert images of the display using a digital image format, such as bitmap format, which is cumbersome, requires transporting large amounts of data for one image, and cannot be seamlessly updated (e.g., requires “refresh” operations).
In one aspect of the invention, an electronic device for collecting and displaying measurement data includes a data interface for obtaining measurement data, a processor, and a transport interface. The processor is configured to generate portable graphical user interface (GUI) information indicating a visual format corresponding to at least one of the measurement data or the electronic device, and to associate the portable GUI information with the measurement data. The portable GUI information includes a GUI rendering engine and corresponding metadata for configuring the GUI rendering engine. The transport interface is configured to deliver the measurement data and the associated portable GUI information to a remote display, enabling the remote display to display the measurement data in accordance with the visual format indicated by the portable GUI information.
In another aspect of the invention, an electronic device for enabling remote display of measurement data includes a network interface and a web server. The network interface is configured to receive measurement data over a data network, the measurement data originating at an electronic instrument having a corresponding visual display format for displaying the measurement data. The web server is configured to populate a web page with the measurement data and associated GUI information in response to a request from a web client over the data network. The GUI information includes a GUI rendering engine for indicating the visual display format in which the measurement data is to be displayed. The populated web page is transported to the web client over the data network, enabling the web client to display the measurement data in the visual format.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a method of remotely displaying data is provided. The method includes generating measurement data, generating portable GUI information in relation to the measurement data, and storing the portable GUI information in relation to the associated measurement data. The portable GUI information indicates a visual format of the measurement data corresponding to a visual display having predetermined parameters. A web page is populated with the measurement data and the associated GUI information in response to a request from a web client over a data network. The populated web page is transported to the web client over the data network for display, enabling the web client to display the measurement data in the visual format, including the predetermined parameters.